Two North Texas Men Lose Fingers and Feet Due to Flu Complications

Flu season hit Texas hard this year, and it doesn't look like the epidemic is getting better any time soon.

School districtsacross the state have shut down because of the flu, and there have already been more than 2,300 flu-related deaths reported in Texas since October. Today we learn of two North Texas men who have had their fingers and feet amputated because of the flu.

51-year-old Brian Herndon from Fort Worth reportedly lost both of his feet and nine fingers just days after getting the flu last month. Herndon's wife says her husband has no underlying medical conditions that would make the flu more dangerous, but nevertheless, he became septic which led to blood clots in his extremities.

"He had a 104.7 temperature right away," Herndon's wife Jaye told WFAA. "And then he had trouble breathing. We didn't wait, we went to the ER. It was that quick." She also said he did not get a flu shot this year.

A GoFundMe page for Herndon has been set up and has currently raised over $23,000 of the $40,000 goal.

33-year-old Joei Smith from Dallas has been battling life-threatening conditions since contracting the flu in December. Today, Smith will have his fingers amputated and he may also lose his toes later.

Despite getting a flu shot, Smith's condition declined rapidly and he was rushed to the hospital a few hours after he started feeling weak and dizzy at work. "I got there at 12 a.m., and by 3 a.m., they were telling me I only had 24 hours to live," Smith told KHOU. “From the flu came sepsis and pneumonia,” he continued.

Smith also had no underlying medical conditions that would complicate the flu and reportedly lives a healthy lifestyle.

While Herndon's and Smith's extreme situations are rare, doctors still recommend that people do get the flu shot. If you are sick and your symptoms include a fever, chills, body aches, and cough, then chances are good you have the flu and should head to the doctor to be tested right away.